Retail furniture buying in the United States is undergoing seismic shifts, marked by new technologies, evolving consumer expectations, and changes accelerated by recent global events. The ” What Shoppers Want: U.S. Insights on Furniture & the Future of Retail” presentation in the HFA Retailer Resource Center at the High Point
Furniture is deeply personal. Every day, we meet customers who are excited about finding the right piece, yet also understandably nervous. A shopper discovers a sectional they love, tests the comfort, scrolls through images online, and then pauses with the same questions we hear again and again: Will this really
Today, customers are not just comparing prices, they are comparing experiences. Especially in furniture and mattress retail, where purchases are emotional, personal, and often long-term, shoppers remember how you made them feel far more than what they paid. Independent merchants have a major advantage. You can deliver a buying experience
Many retail buying journeys begin online through research, browsing, comparison, or early product discovery. Shoppers expect digital guidance before they ever enter a store. They look for clarity, inspiration, and confidence in every interaction. A website often influences a purchase more than any single conversation on the sales floor. A
Most retailers understand the fundamentals of visual merchandising. They know how to build a vignette, create a focal point, and maintain aesthetic consistency. These skills are well established in the industry. Yet merchandising is evolving, and the most effective strategies today rely on more than creative execution. They are powered
If you’re in furniture retail or manufacturing, chances are you’re sitting on an incredibly valuable marketing asset — and don’t even know it. I’m talking about 3D product data. These are the CAD files, renderings, and digital models that most manufacturers create during product development — not for marketing, but
Elevate customer experience and boost sales with strategic remerchandising techniques Remerchandising your sales floor after market isn’t just about rearranging furniture—it’s a powerful strategy to drive higher sales and refresh your store’s appeal. By rethinking layout, product mix, and visual flow, home furnishings retailers can create an immersive shopping experience
The retail customer experience is the shopper’s overall impression of your store and is not just about selling products. It’s also about creating brand experience and positive feelings in your customers. When it comes to merchandising, retailers mainly focus on in-stock positions and sales floor layouts in regard to decision-making.
When Furniture Stops Moving, It’s Time to Rethink Your Floor Tariffs are driving costs up. The pandemic redecorating rush is over. If you’re looking around your showroom, wondering where the traffic went—and noticing your turns slowing while your warehouse fills up—you’re not alone. This is the new normal. The question
Mattress and furniture retailers in California and Rhode Island should prepare for upcoming adjustments to the mattress recycling fee, scheduled for early 2026. These changes, announced by the Mattress Recycling Council (MRC), reflect rising labor, transportation, and operational costs associated with responsible mattress disposal and recycling programs. California Fee Increase
For many independent furniture retailers, succession planning is more complex than expected. The next generation often chooses different careers; employees
Personalization has moved from a nice addition to a core expectation in modern retail. Customers want brands to understand their
On December 10, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) submitted a key response in the Court of International Trade (CIT)
Access to credit plays a crucial role in the home furnishings retail industry, empowering millions of American families to make
In 2025, the Home Furnishings Association continued to be a unified voice for furniture retailers, advocating for policies that protect
Shaping the Customer Experience with Consumer Study Data Step into the shoes of today’s furniture shopper and discover what truly shapes their in-store experience.
Immersive Retail: Inspiring Customers with 3D, AR & VR Today’s most successful furniture retailers aren’t replacing personal service with technology, they’re using it to
